Reporter Issue 43
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CONTENTS:Editorial Communique From the Admiral’s Desk (Fleet News) Promotions Interview: Della Vetri Featured Ship: USS Victory Mission Reports USS Challenger-A USS Constitution-B USS Discovery-B USS Eagle USS Independence-A USS Ronin USS Victory In-Depth Featured Mission: StarBase 118 Ops New Frontiers : a brief cultural outline: Vaadwaur SIMming Tips: What Makes a SIM Awesome News Weird Science Useful Links End Notes Interested in Helping? UFOP Message Boards Comments? Contacts
Tracey Townson (USS Independence) -Editor Mailea Labria (USS Challenger) -News Items Thomas N. Gregory (USS Ronin) -Interview section Andrus Jaxx (USS Victory) -Ship Report Compiler Rocar Drawoh (USS Victory) -Proof-reader & Formatting Contributors: Della Vetri (USS Constitution-B) Karynn Ehlanii (Starbase 118) Alleran Tan (Starbase 118) Thomas N. Gregory (USS Ronin) Rhode Mitchell (USS Discovery) Samuel Perkins (USS Constitution) Tal Tel-Ar (USS Challenger) Quinn Reynolds (USS Eagle) Sidney Riley (USS Independence) Editorial CommuniqueLt (jg) Tracey Townson - SB 118 Ops Hello UFOPers I'd like to introduce you to the Reporter Issue 43. It has been quite some time since the last issue was published by Fleet Admiral Tristan Wolf way back on Stardate 238002.22. But here we are again. Hopefully the next one won't take so long to publish. :) The Reporter's first issue was released on 237306.20, and was edited by Fleet Captain Elinor of Kanist. Back then, there were only two ships in the UFOP, the USS Centris and the USS Chicago. Since then, the fleet has grown by leaps and bounds. I have personally been a member here, off and on, for around 10 years, and I have had the oppotunity to SIM with some very good writers. Some were command officers, and others were junior officers. All in all, I have never been dissatisfied with my time spent here in the UFOP. One of the highlights of my tenure in the UFOP was to read the Reporter, which was released every few months. But then it, sadly, came to an end. In this issue, I hope to revive this little piece of our history and put a new spin on it. It will still have all the original sections, as well as somethings different. But there is one thing for certain, future issues will not be able to get published without help from you. Our members. And so, without further ado, lets get the show on the road. From the Admiral’s Desk (Fleet News)Although I have fond memories of those times in UFoP: Starbase 118’s past when many of us were still waiting for our modem’s dialling tones to let us download the UFoP reporter as an e-mail, it strikes me that Issue 43 comes out at a time when I know many of us will enjoy reading our community’s online magazine on our mobile phones, ipads and other exciting devices that let us enjoy our hobbies whilst on the move. This is a sign of our longevity but also an indication of the exciting new opportunities that have opened up for our group. The articles that Tracey Townson and her team have collated here make for an interesting read and I hope many of you will take it as an inspiration to come up with new ideas for how your fleet and, indeed, your online community can develop in new times and in the face of the new ways in which the internet is used. It is, after all, important that we remember that UFoP: Starbase 118 is an online community of writers with a shared interest. We are not a single ships sailing in the night, but rather a fleet with a need for community projects and interaction. In a recent online chat with UFoP: Starbase 118’s Captains and First Officers, Fleet Admiral Tristan Wolf outlined to us the ways in which our community might seek to develop its place amongst the new ways in which the internet is used and accessed. A start is for each of us to make sure we use the fleet’s community forums to exchange ideas with one another and to build friendships across the fleet; for us to volunteer for fleetwide ooc work and get involved with the various teams, guilds and projects as we look for new way to use tools that are available to us such as our website, twitter, forums, social networks and, indeed, our news items and magazine We have great potential for growth in these areas whilst, nonetheless, remaining true to our original mandates and shared writing of “sims,” however, such growth will need to come from UFoP: Starbase’s members. From your new ideas, your friendships and your co-operation. As the team behind this issue of the UFoP Reporter have aptly demonstrated, everybody from Ensign to LtCmdr can have an idea and we will always seek to support and develop your ideas in ways where our members work together in areas they find of interest. I would like, therefore, to begin by thanking Tracey Townson and her team here on the UFoP: Reporter for their huge effort and “can-do attitude” in production of issue 43. Their efforts here are a testimony to what can be achieved by a group of UFoP: Starbase 118 members in a relatively short-time and also demonstrates the creative opportunities available to all when they work together across starships as has been done with this new publication. What I admire most in the production of this issue is that nobody on the Captain’s Council or Executive Council had to push for this to happen nor did we come up with the idea or have to ask for volunteers and oversee that the OOC work got done. Instead, the idea to bring back the UFoP Reporter came about on www.starbase118.net/forums and from that seed grew the issue you are reading here today. It is my sincere hope that more of you will get in touch with Tracey (or other players leading other teams and ooc projects in the fleet) and get involved with similar ooc contributions on a fleetwide level in future. I would like to take this opportunity to share some news items with you that impact on the fleet in various ways: Idril Mar was promoted to Fleet Captain in 2386 in recognition for her work on the Executive Council, particularly in the area of organising and administering the appeals process for officers who petitioned the EC. Most recently she has written for and commanded this year’s Fleetwide Plot in which crews from USS Independence, Starbase 118 Ops (aboard USS Tiger), USS Challenger and USS Ronin came together to confront the Vaadwaur threat (see this issue’s “New Fronteirs” on p.26). Whilst we are sad to lose Fleet Captain Mar’s wisdom and calming influence (upon which many of us, especially myself, had come to depend) we wish her all the best with her R.L. endeavours in her new career. Following her departure there will be no immediate appointment of a new EC member, the council, thus, remaining: Tristan Wolf (Senior Member) Rocar Drawoh (EC Magistrate) T’Pen (Senior Member) and Sidney Riley (Junior Member) with Tyr Waltas acting as the Captain-at-Large. Elsewhere in the fleet, after a very successful set of well lead missions, the crew aboard Starbase 118 Ops has now been merged with the USS Independence following Commander Thelev’s decision not to pursue promotion to Captain at this current time. As you will read below in the featured mission article, Commander Thelev led his crew brilliantly on a very good mission and we sincerely hope he will choose to return to becoming a Commanding Officer again at a later date. There will always be a postion for him in the fleet should he choose it. Meanwhile, we are pleased to announce that Commander Quinn Reynolds has begun her Captain’s Practical exam aboard the USS Eagle and we wish her all the best. The other key development in the pipeline at the moment is a revamp of the fleet’s website on which the web development team have begun work. My thanks and commendation in particular to LtJg Sean Sabbage (on leave) and Ensign Tercenya Derryth (USS Eagle) for their work to date on this project. It is our hope that the current site can be replaced with a new infrastructure that will allow all Staff Members to keep the various pages up-to-date with ease and without a need for understanding of html and website design when information needs to be changed. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to get involved with the fleetwide teams and projects. This is a great way to meet and interact with players on other ships and we are particularly in constant need of new participants on: The Publicity Team (to advertise the fleet and attract new members) The News Team (who write the UFoP Reporter and articles on the main website) The Web Development Team (updating the website) The Academy (where we are desperate for Lieutenants and Lieutenant Commanders to join the Training Team that leads and tutors new cadets) If you would like to get involved with any of these then please e-mail: r.drawoh@starbase118.net In the meantime I hope you all enjoy Issue 43 of the UFoP: Reporter and, indeed, the missions that are running aboard your various ships. Finally, to ensure the fleet’s continued strength and growth recruitment of new players is always in the forefront of our minds. To experiment with the new outreach opportunities available to us on the internet, I have followed advice from Fleet Admiral Wolf and the advertising team and have started an account for my character on twitter. You can “follow” my tweets at: http://twitter.com/Rocar_Drawoh where I hope to provide a combination of: IC tweets from my ship (USS Victory); fiction in the form of 140 character short stories set in the Star Trek universe; and (perhaps of most interest to you) as it happens notification of the latest news and developments from around UFoP:Starbase118. Thank you all for your continued support & happy simming, Rear Admiral Rocar Drawoh Stardate 238707.21 PromotionsUSS Challenger-A None USS Constitution-B None USS Discovery-B None USS Eagle Quinn Reynolds to Commander USS Independence-A None USS Ronin Keval Trolin to Lieutenant; Thomas Gregory to Lieutenant USS Victory None StarBase 118 Ops Tracey Townson to Lieutenant JG; T'Reshik to Lieutenant; Alex Somers to Lieutenant InterviewInterview with Lieutenant Commander Della Vetri Interview Format: 1 on 1 Q and A Show: "Biography Of Courage" Host: Avery Stewart (Lieutenant Thomas N. Gregory - USS Ronin) Guest: Lieutenant Commander Della Vetri - USS Constitution-B An in-depth profile style interview. ((Studio / Starbase 118))
Stewart: Good evening, I'm Avery Stewart. Tonight "Starfleet News Service" presents "A Biography Of Courage". Our guest tonight is the First Officer the USS Constitution-B, she is also joined Trill. ::Looking and indicating the person sitting in the easy chair next to him.:: Lieutenant Commander Della Vetri, it's a pleasure to talk to you tonight. Vetri: Likewise. I must say, it's a novel experience, but I'm looking forward to it.
Stewart: Before we get down to the core of the interview, I'm sure a lot of our viewers tonight would like to know: how many lifetimes the Vetri symbiont has lived?
Vetri: Well, there's two answers to that one. Technically, just the one. Hosts may come and go, but... The answer you're probably looking for, though, is six - including me. Stewart: Has the Vetri symbiont ever served before yourself?
Vetri: In Starfleet? No. Vetri's been a lot of things, but I'm the first host in the fleet. Stewart: It's a real treat to be able to ask this next question: sum up your 4 lifetimes for us here, lets say 'professions'. Vetri: Hmmm, lets go for the major ones. Singer, chef, nurse, terraforming engineer.. There's a whole bundle of others as well, but that's to be expected when you've been around that long. Stewart: Tell us a bit about Della. Vetri: ::chuckling:: What is there to tell? Pretty mundane childhood, went to college, ended up getting selected to become the host for my symbiont. I decided I wanted to join Starfleet after that, which meant that my mother won. Stewart: What did she win? Vetri: Oh, it was a running joke in the family. Parental influence being what it is, I was probably going to grow up to be a landscape designer or a shrink - and there's not much call for gardeners on a star ship. Stewart: You've had another recent development: that of your promotion to FO. vetri: ::touching the red collar of her uniform with a smile:: Yes, that's kind of a recent shift. I've spent most of my career as a Counselor, but I've been convinced to give the Command track a shot.
Stewart: Continuing along here with Commander Della Vetri... for those of us who haven't had the pleasure of visiting - let alone living and being raised - Trill, please give us your thoughts. Vetri: Well, you'll have to accept I'm a little biased, but... Great. Not as generally pleasant as Risa or it's like, of course, but it's a wonderful world, and I had the privilege of growing up on one of the loveliest island chains I've ever come across, ::flashing a grin:: though Hawaii comes a reasonable second.
Stewart: Tell us about your Pre Academy days. Vetri: Well, like I said, there wasn't anything especially breathtaking about my childhood - apart from the scenery. I guess the most exciting part of it all would be the fact that I actually got accepted for training to become a potential host. A lot of Trill apply, but the number chosen is a lot smaller, and the number that succeed is even less than that. ::laughing softly:: When I found out I'd been chosen, I was wearing a goofy grin for days, so I'm told. Stewart: Most of our viewers understand the tremendous difficulties associated with being joined. For those who may not have the complete picture tell us what it feels like to be joined. Vetri: To start with, the training is *tough*. You've got to be at the top of your game to even be considered, and it's very easy to flunk out of the program. With so few symbiont's available each year, if you make it, you certainly appreciate it. And when the joining actually happens...
Vetri: It's kind if a bitter-sweet thing. The previous host is there beside you, and you both know that they're going to die - which, to be honest, is why this kind of thing usually happens at the end of their life anyway. As soon as the connection is made, though... ::shaking her head:: I honestly don't know if I can describe it. The only non-host I know of that can understand it at all can only do it because she shared my memories, and even then she only has a very rough idea. Can you imagine five lifetimes of knowledge, memories, and experiences suddenly being part of you? It's utterly overwhelming, and at the same time... glorious. ::chuckling again:: Takes a *lot* of getting used to. Stewart: Would you say your experiences being joined are common among other Trill? Vetri: Up to a point, yes. Turns out there was an added wrinkle for me that nobody had foreseen, though. Stewart: What was that? Vetri: I had latent psionic ability that hadn't even been suspected. The shock of the joining woke those talents up without warning and...
Stewart: It must have taken some time to adjust too. Vetri: To put it mildly, I was a basket case. It took nearly 18 months of intensive therapy on Betazed before I was able function normally again. Stewart: Would you do it all again if given another chance? Vetri: If I had the chance? it opened up whole new horizons for me, and led pretty much directly to me joining Starfleet and living a life I've come to love. No, I wouldn't change a thing. ::smiling again:: Except to make sure I had a large hypo ready to deal with the headache the joining gave me. Stewart: OK, let us move on then and discuss your Starfleet career. ::Avery paused and took a drink from his cup. Setting the cup back down he took a moment to swallow his drink and compose himself. After a short moment he looked back to Della and continued.:: Stardate 238601.31 was the date you were assigned to the USS Constitution-B, prior to that you spent time aboard Starbase 118 as part of their Ops team and of course the USS Indria-A. Tell us about your time served there. Vetri: Well, the starbase wasn't really a long-term posting. I was there for a short while after leaving the academy, but my assignment to the Indria came pretty soon. I will say that it's a very different kind of posting than a ship - especially a facility that size. Busy, and with a *lot* of civilians around. It's kind of like living and working in a city, just one that happens to be floating in space. Stewart: What would you say your overall impression of the fleet would be? Vetri: Professional. We're all out there to do a job, and we're as ready as we can possibly be for whatever weird and wacky things the cosmos decides to throw at us. You're living and working with people from dozens of different races, pushing back the boundaries of what we know of the universe around us. It's not easy, and at times it's certainly not safe, but... It's worth it. Stewart: Now to the good stuff. ::Avery chuckled to himself and continued.:: Tell us about the USS Constitution-B.
Vetri: The Conny's a good ship, and she's done us proud. She's a Galaxy-class, so she's big, and that means we can pack a lot of capability in there, which has proven *very* useful on occasion. Stewart: Give us your overall impression since you began serving there. Vetri: It's a good one, I assure you. We've got some excellent people aboard, and they know their jobs well - and given the number of times we've managed to fly ourselves into something sticky, that's been a very good thing. On top of the usual stuff, we've dealt with Planet Killers, alien abductions, even a copy of our own ship from another reality. ::shaking her head with a laugh:: Interesting times, indeed. Stewart: Finally, for all those fresh faced cadets out there... what advice would you give them about serving in the fleet? Vetri: Expect the unexpected, and trust your crew mates. ::smiling:: And don't ever let that sense of wonder slip away.
Stewart: Commander Vetri of the USS Constitution-B it's been an absolute pleasure to have you here with us today. I do hope we can have you back at the earliest convenience. As always Commander, you have the last word. Vetri: Thanks for having me, Avery. Assuming I can make it, I'd be glad to come back.
Stewart: In the depths of space we can all find solace that the good officers of Starfleet remain ever vigilant as they travel the stars. For all of us here at the "Starfleet News Service" I'm Avery Stewart, good day. Featured ShipUSS Victory The Victory, an Intrepid Class vessel, has been a part of the UFOP since 237905, which has been under the command of Captain Jordan Hurne, Commander Megan Parker, Captain Robin Phoenix and now Rear Admiral Rocar Drawoh. It has been inactive since 238403 and has recently been placed back into active duty this month. Intrepid Class Starship Affiliation : Federation Type : Light Explorer / Scout Unit Run : NCC 74705 USS Bellerophon - Active NCC 746002 USS Intrepid - Active NCC 74656 USS Voyager - Active plus 47 others built in total. 15 have been lost in all. The class remains in production. Commissioned : 23715 - present Dimensions : Length : 343 m Beam : 133 m Height : 66 m Decks : 15 Mass : 700,000 metric tons Crew : 141 Armament : 13 x Type VIII phaser arrays, total output 10,000 TeraWatts 5 x Standard photon torpedo tube with 38 rounds Defence Systems : Standard shield system, total capacity 729,000 TeraJoules Standard Duranium/Tritanium Single hull. Standard level Structural Integrity Field Warp Speeds (TNG scale) : Normal Cruise : 8 Maximum Cruise : 9.975 Maximum Rated : 9.985 for 1 hours. Strength Indices : (Galaxy class = 1,000) Beam Firepower : 200 Torpedo Firepower : 625 Weapon Range and Accuracy : 440 Shield Strength : 270 Hull Armour : 50 Speed : 3,526 Combat Manoeuvrability : 9,100 Overall Strength Index : 591 Diplomatic Capability : 3 Expected Hull Life : 80 Refit Cycle : Minor : 1 year Standard : 5 years Major : 20 years Notes : Starfleet's shipbuilding policy of the last century has emphasized ever larger, more capable designs capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions within a single hull, often simultaneously. However, this has led to a gradual fall in the numbers of vessels which can be fielded - where the Excelsior class numbers well over a hundred, the Ambassadors were limited to a production run of twenty six, and the Galaxy class was limited to six ships initially, though this has since been expanded. While the exploration capacity of these classes is still sufficient to meet the tasks demanded of them, the lack of numbers has led to a certain restriction in flexibility. Losses among the Galaxy class have also emphasized that placing "all the eggs in one basket" is not necessarily the wisest choice. The Intrepid design was fielded partly to correct this situation. The design requirement, issued in 2358, called for a vessel in the 360 metre range with a volume some 15% that of a Galaxy class. Although the limited size meant that the vessel would have much lower overall capabilities than the Galaxy class, this was to be in some part offset by the use of the latest technology. The computer system would be amongst the most advanced model in service; the increased automation this afforded combined with a new generation of sensor equipment would allow the Intrepid class almost 30% of the scanning and analysis capabilities of a Galaxy class starship. A top cruise speed some three times that of the Galaxy would further enhance the vessel's exploration capabilities. Diplomatic functions would be more problematic - hosting such functions requires supporting large numbers of extra personnel, and the Intrepid class simply would not have the room for this. Her diplomatic capabilities are therefore limited to relatively small events generally involving Federation negotiations with a single party. The Intrepid's combat role was also somewhat limited by her size; unable to carry large numbers of torpedoes or high power phaser banks, Starfleet settled on a scouting and support mission for the ship. Fitted out with Type VIII phaser arrays and single fire torpedo tubes, the Intrepid would be capable of engaging vessels the size of a Bird of Prey one-on-one. Her high speed and manoeuvrability combined with the advanced sensor system would also make her a perfect platform to conduct long range reconnaissance missions ahead of fleet operations. Within a major fleet battle the Intrepid would also act in support of larger ships, harrying enemy fleet units and drawing fire away from larger Federation ships. Development of the intrepid class went relatively smoothly in the early and mid stages, but a major problem arose in 2370 with the discovery that the energy emissions of standard warp drives caused considerable cumulative damage to the structure of subspace. Starfleet called for all designs then in progress to be modified to eliminate this effect, and it was decided to use the Intrepid class as a test bed for this technology. After some experimentation it was found that the effect could be avoided by using a warp field with a much elongated Z-axis, combined with complex warp field modulation and the utilization of new materials during the manufacture of warp coils. This has led to the ships saucer section having the forward ellipse now becoming common on Federation designs. The new warp field configuration did lead to a 15% reduction in the speed of the Intrepid class across all flight regimes, bringing the top cruise speed down from Warp 9.99 to Warp 9.975, and the maximum rated speed from Warp 9.992 to Warp 9.985. The program suffered a serious setback when the USS Voyager, second in the class, was apparently lost on her first mission. Building was suspended on the class while the designs were subjected to intense scrutiny; after a year without results the Intrepid project was resumed. It was subsequently discovered that Voyager was in fact displaced to the other side of the Galaxy by an alien technology. After struggling to return home for nearly seven years, Voyager finally made it back to Earth via a Borg transwarp conduit. One feature unique to the Intrepid class among Federation Starships of this size is the ability to land on a planetary surface. This feature has been incorporated after several incidents in which transporters and shuttle craft have been unable to operate through exotic environmental conditions during evacuations or other surface related operations. Mission ReportsUSS Challenger-A Submitted by Lt. Commander Tal Tel-Ar The crew of the USS Challenger-A dropped the ancient derelict vessel the USS Eosa off at Earth and were assigned to transport a large contingent of Marines and other Starfleet support staff to DS17. This was a long, boring trip broken up by the chaos caused by throwing close to 200 Marines into such close confines for a prolonged period. Then when we were only a couple days from DS17 we were suddenly attacked out of nowhere with no warning by 3 unknown alien vessels. In the ensuing battle the USS Challenger-A took some internal damage and numerous casualties but was able to disable and eventually force the enemy to break off the fight. Main damage was to the Marine Hanger bay with the loss of all the Marine fighters and over 100 casualties. (Dead and injured) Entire hanger bay is a complete write off and it had to be sealed off from the rest of the ship as the shield emitters near it were damaged to badly to maintain any shield coverage to that part of the ship. We did sustain other damage and casualties. At this time the Captain tried to contact DS17. USS Constitution-B Submitted by Captain Samuel Perkins Driven mad by the pollen gas that is in the air of the Constituion-B. The crew have been behaving rather strangly. Cmdr Toni Turner-West goes into labor early and gives birth. To a full term baby months before she should. Lcmd T'Lea attempts to blow the ship up. Luckly the explosion is contained to one deck but there are many injured. The colonist responsibly with help from Lt(jg) Nearian Ben'thal find a cure and realise it into the air supply.But in the explosion Nearian is hurt. During all this madness Lt. Petrov lead an away team. Escorting the leader of the colony to the planet. To collect some notes. However the scientist was an imposter. On truth he was really a Klingon scientist called Timpok. Who had been banished from the Empire. For dishonoring his people with needless experiments. Timpok kidnaps the away team as is intent on restarting his work. Using Petrov and the natives. But Della and Major West rescue the away team. In the process Timpok is hurt quite badly. When a device he implanted in his head. To control his early creations the kittens. Shorts out and damges his brain. Now with the pollen gas gone and the away team safe. The crew is recovering from the recent ordeal. USS Discovery-B Submitted by Lt. Commander Rode Mitchell The Discovery B is returning under tow by the USS Achilles to DS-285. The Discovery under the influence of a series of alien beings, suffered a series of problems before crossing into the Neutral Zone. There the aliens were offloaded into the rift where the Discovery's crew had found the Morningstar adrift. The crew is now planning to refit the ship and go after the group that supposedly killed Captain Waltas.
After the events in the last ship report, the away team aboard the civilian freighter discovered that it was phasing due to a mysterious, alien device attached to its warp core. Not only was it phasing the ship, it was also imprisoning several energy-based life forms. It was realised that the missing freighter crew had been taken by the compatriots of these lifeforms in retaliation, and that in order to save them, the ship would need to be completely phased once again and the trapped aliens released - and there was little time to do it. The crew was saved and the aliens freed, but at the cost of the lives of the four people held inside the transporter buffer, as power had to be diverted away from that system. Back aboard the Eagle, the possessed individual was also released by the use of a specially configured phaser. After the dust had settled and the away team returned, the freighter crew were picked up by another Federation starship and their vessel towed back to the nearest Starbase for an official investigation. During the trip back to the Trinity Sector, the Eagle crew went about their daily routines. One of the highlights was a 1920s, Chicago-style casino night organised by one of the junior crew, giving everyone a chance to dress up, play a part and have some fun. Unfortunately, damage to the warp core sustained during the previous mission suddenly developed into a critical systems failure and the Eagle was forced to eject the core before it breached. The shockwave from the explosion sent the ship into an uncontrolled trajectory and it crashed into an ocean on a nearby M-class planet. The crew are currently in the process of escaping from the sinking vessel and making their way toward a nearby island to regroup.
The crew of the USS Independence-A continued their investigation of the Laryn Colony. While the teams investigated the situation at the colony and attempted to locate its leader, the USS Independence was attacked by a mystery ship hiding in the Ion Storm surrounding the planet. Captain Riley and Doctor Shalls were called back to the ship to assist with damages from the apparent attack leaving LtCmdr. Ehlanii in charge of the teams on the planet surface. The mystery ship continued to hide inside the Ion Storm prompting much speculation as to their intentions. Scans indicated the ship was of Vaadwaur design, a race from the Delta Quadrant. However, the crew of the Independence was skeptical because Vaadwaur have not been seen in the Ithassa Region before. The crew continued to investigate all possibilities as repairs were made to the ship. LtCmdr. Ehlanii's team encountered a strange glowing orb on the planet surface. Upon investigation it was determined the orb was a sort of high energy transporter device, technology currently unknown to the Federation. The team brought the orb back to the ship for research where it began to act strangely emitting high energy beams and transporting crew to various places around the ship. Meanwhile, the mystery ship emerged from the Ion Storm, confirming its Vaadwaur origins, and took off at warp speed, presumably with the missing colonists from AX-47 and the Laryn Colony. The Independence has engaged in a pursuit course. Captain Riley has called a Briefing to discuss the information the crew learned from the Laryn Colony, the orb and the mystery ship so they can formulate a plan to rescue the colonists from AX-47. USS Ronin Submitted by Lieutenant Thomas N. Gregory With morale high the crew of the USS Ronin gathered for the annual fleet awards and promotions banquet. In Holodeck 1 aboard DS17 Captain Walker called the celebration to order and the proceeding began. Three Ensigns – Prox,Jassa,Teller – were awarded promotions based on their recent performance. Even Fleet Captain – also a former Captain of the Ronin – Idrill Mar stopped in via hologram to give out the awards presented to several members of the crew. After the awards and promotions were concluded the reception and banquet began. From this point on Captain Walker began displaying unusable behaviour and engaged in sometimes bizarrely outright attempts at antagonizing several members of the crew. After several erratic incidents were reported – and at least one incident of violence among the crew – Lt Cmdr Assanti sealed the Holodeck doors. An attempt at a full headcount was interrupted by an altercation between the already strangely acting ‘Captain Walker’ and a visibly angered LT Jg Trolin. By the time the Andorian – Trolin – was talked down from continuing the fight it was clear: Captain Walker was not on the holodeck with them. The *Holodeck simulation* was shut down and the crew immediately beamed to the Ronin. Captain Walker was now confirmed as missing and presumed to be in danger. As every effort was being made to track down the Captain, the Ronin – now under the direct Command of First Officer LT Cmdr Jackford B. Kolk – came under attack by a small Armada of 6-8 Romulan Warbirds. The unprovoked attack led to some tense diplomatic posturing between ‘Captain Kolk’ of the USS Ronin and ‘Sub Commander Almat’ of the Romulan fleet. The Romulans claimed they had only one objective: Acquiring Captain Walker and returning him to Romulan Space. The diplomatic session was interrupted with the arrival of LT Jg Teller on the bridge. The LT had gone ahead and ordered multiple surgeries to give himself the appearance of being Captain Walker. During his arrival a Vulcan Shuttle was detected on the far side of DS17. The Shuttle was deemed the probable location of the missing Captain. LT Cmdr Assanti was neurologically attacked while attempting to make a telepathic connection with the Captain, however she was able to continue in her duties. At this point a daring 3 part plan was put into motion under the executive order of LT Cmdr and Acting Captain Jackford B. Kolk. 1) Dr Teller would proceed to DS17 with a large platoon of security and marines. The security officers – under the Command of the Ronin’s Chief of Security LT Readdy – would assist in the defense of DS17 and attempt to repel the Romulan strike force. Dr Teller would attempt to get himself captured and infiltrate the Romulan flagship. He would then install an overload type virus made by Chief Engineer LT Falcon at the first computer access terminal found. Once the ships shields had dropped to a weak enough point he would be transported back to the Ronin. 2) LT Cmdr Cura Assanti would lead LT Jg’s Jassa and Gregory after the Vulcan Shuttle. Their orders were simple: retrieve the Captain and return to the Ronin. 3) Kolk and company would assist in the defense against the Romulan Armada while attempting to engage any kind of diplomatic insurance to safeguard the Station and the Ronin. The three part plan was met with heavy resistance in all areas. As the security teams squared off against the Romulan attackers, DS17 Commander Michael Carrigan was killed in action by a Romulan sniper shot. Shortly before that LT Readdy was hit by multiple disruptor blasts and beamed back to the Ronin, leaving Command of the security forces resting with her direct subordinates in the field: Ensign’s Am’tra and Acel’a. Dr Teller put his ruse into motion and was captured by a forward operating group of Romulans. He was taken from the station and the remaining Romulan strike forces were able to establish a small but stable security perimeter on the promenade. The fighting on DS17 soon grew into a stalemate. Surrounding DS17 the fighting was fierce. The Romulans employed ’strafe and cloak’ firing tactics to great effect during the early stages of the battle. While the Ronin was able to track the signatures of the Romulan ships at times during the fight they were effectively on their own. Due to internal docking problems that were plaguing DS17, many of the starships fit for battle were docked on the outer ring of the station. Those ships served as sitting ducks and were effectively neutralized by the repeated Romulan strikes. The USS Stanton and Callahan were only able to break free of their docking clamps when the Romulans blew the ships to pieces. An effective counter attack was launched by the Ronin and its fighter wings. The already deadly skirmish took a disastrous turn as possible cease fire talks with the Romulans turned into a kamikaze attack by a Romulan shuttle. The Bridge of the USS Ronin was abandoned and the bridge officers regrouped quickly in the Flight Operations Center. The saucer section of the Ronin was evacuated and eventually used as a massive projectile. Seeing the Ronin lost Captain Kolk ordered the rest of the ship evacuated. Staying behind – LT Jg Trolin also remaining – Kolk attempted to provide cover fire for the escape pods before the Ronin was no more. The Runabout “Wye” gave chase to the Vulcan Shuttle. Deep in the nebula LT Cmdr Assanti attempted to talk with the Vulcan Captain ’Sopek’ regarding Walker. ‘Sopek’ would not acknowledge that he had the missing Ben Walker in his custody but he did invite Assanti and two officers aboard for further discussions. LT Jg Gregory stayed behind and transported Assanti and Jassa over to the Vulcan Science Vessel “Revelation”. Their plan involved bargaining with the Vulcan’s using the newly formed Wormhole as a hostage. Assanti and Jassa were met by Romulan Tal Shiar agents who coldly informed them Captain Walker would be returning with them to Romulus. Naturally it had been a fairly intense experience for everyone involved. When Kolk and company found themselves back facing the artificial walls of the DS17 Holodeck once more there was mass confusion. Assanti and Readdy’s team – along with a restored Dr Teller - stood in horror, many of whom had seen their lives flash before their eyes just moments earlier. Captain Walker stood at the front of the room and addressed the crowd. He explained that what they had experienced since the awards and promotions ceremony was an elaborate simulation to test their limits. Emotions swirled around the room as the Captain announced the evening’s fun and relaxation on the promenade of DS17 would be on him. The entire ordeal of the simulation brought up different emotions in different people. Some felt hurt, betrayed, even angered. Others felt amazed, embarrassed and overwhelmed by what had just taken place. The crew had come together in a difficult situation, kept cool heads and showed commendable optimism during an increasingly difficult scenario. The mission while not ‘having any lasting physical consequences’ has proved both a valuable training and bonding experience for those who believed themselves to be risking their very lives on the people they serve beside every day. While the USS Ronin finishes up its routine maintenance checks at DS17 the general feeling around DS17 Station is one of ‘anticipation’. Detailed scans of the nebula begin to pile up adding additional confirmation that the newly created subspace aperture ‘Wormhole’ has at least one end completely anchored at this point in the galaxy ‘The Vulcan Harp Nebula’. USS Victory No summary. Just started missions. StarBase 118 Ops Submitted by Lt. Commander Karynn Ehlanii with Post Battle analysis Submitted by Ensign Alleran Tan Shortly after the arrival of much of the Starbase 118 Command staff to DS17 on the *USS Tiger*, and the departure of the DS17 operations staff on the *USS Scarborough,* bound for Earth, there was an unprovoked attack by a group of approximately 90 Vaadwaur ships. Several Vaadwaur ships were destroyed and several more were damaged, but they were able to successfully capture the station. Contact with the *Scarborough* has been lost. The population of DS17 was successfully evacuated and is being escorted by the * Tiger*. Currently: /\= Officers =/\Tan - Moderately injured. On the bridge of the Tiger. Reed - Lightly/moderately injured. On the bridge of the Tiger. Whale - Critically injured, presumably undergoing emergency surgery. On the Achille Lauro. Townson - Uninjured. On the bridge of the USS Tiger. Sasak - Uninjured, Sickbay, USS Tiger. Shan - Uninjured. On the bridge of the USS Tiger. Somers - Uninjured. In the Main Shuttlebay, USS Tiger. Thelev - Lightly injured. On the bridge of the USS Tiger. Ethne - Uninjured. In the Medical Bay of USS Sacred Heart. T'Reshik - Severely injured. Aboard the Achille Lauro, tending to Whale. Avandar - Uninjured, on the bridge of the FF Wraith. /\= Individuals of Note =/\Kildare - Abandoned post, extracted with Somers. Jill Adrura - Possibly lightly injured, shuttle towed by the Tiger. Che'tara - Extracted on civilian shuttle. Kiarna Taiven - Severely injured, currently MIA; possibly transported out when Tiger attempted to transport any remaining Starfleet personel. Possibly KIA or imprisoned if left on the station. Sherry Gibson - Aboard the Achille Lauro, uninjured. Tom Smithers & Kestrel Cagliari - Escorting the Achille Lauro, uninjured. Danilo Pivek - Aboard the Tiger, fetching medical supplies for Whale. Uninjured but exhausted. /\= Other Federation Personnel =/\Marines: 161 marines total. 112 surviving, 33 lightly wounded, 28 seriously wounded, 14 critically wounded, 26 MIA, 23 KIA. Security: 1475 security staff total. 734 surviving, 104 lightly wounded, 235 seriously wounded, 144 critically wounded, 557 MIA, 184 KIA. Medical: 66 medical staff total. 64 surviving, 2 MIA (the medical bay was next to an evacuation point and the medical staff moved out together; assumed a few people would be off duty with some being left behind). Science: 1429 science staff total. 1105 surviving, 214 lightly wounded, 101 seriously wounded, 94 critical, 248 MIA, 76 KIA. Engineering: 1657 engineers total. 1039 surviving, 240 lightly wounded, 199 seriously wounded, 86 critically wounded, 417 MIA, 201 KIA. /\= Civilians =/\Adults: 5156 total. 4074 surviving, 330 lightly wounded, 416 seriously wounded, 191 critically wounded, 711 KIA, 371 MIA. Children: 68 total. 64 surviving, 6 lightly wounded, 3 critically wounded, 2 MIA, 2 KIA. /\= Materials =/\Station EMH: Destroyed. Station computer core: Destroyed. Armoury contents: 97% destroyed. DS-17 shields: Inoperative. DS-17 structural integrity: Moderate damage. DS-17 crew quarters: Light damage. DS-17 life support: Moderate damage. Misc. equipment: Approximately twenty-two tonnes of civilian cargo dumped to make room for evacuees. Approximate gross value, 1,100 strips of gold pressed latinum. Cargo consists of one tonne gorn carpets, two tonnes cardassian yamok sauce, one tonne klingon blood wine, ten tonnes of assorted terran antiques from the mid 22nd century, two tonnes of andorian cabbage, four tonnes palamarian sea urchin, two tonnes misc goods. /\= Ships =/\Marine shuttles: One undamaged, one moderately damaged and dead in the water. Longbow fighter-shuttles: One severely damaged, abandoned and presumed lost; two undamaged. FF Wraith: undamaged. Currently cloaked. USS Sacred Heart: undamaged. USS Tiger: relatively undamaged, light engine damage from prolonged run at high warp. Dado's Flying Fancy: undamaged. Maul Tango 32: undamaged, returned to the USS Ronin. USS Achilles: undamaged. Mk XVI Sensor Probe '33-B': undamaged, currently transmitting information regarding DS-17. /\= Other life forms =/\Assorted pet fish, Crewman Pivek's quarters: Uninjured but uncared for. 'Vica', a civilian's pet dog. KIA. 'Ulan', a civilian's pet dog. KIA. Station voles. 835 total, 811 survived, 24 KIA when docking port two was struck by a torpedo and decompressed. /\= Hostile forces =/\90 ships total. Breakdown: 60 assault craft: 52 survived, 7 destroyed, 11 lightly damaged, 4 heavily damaged, 1 critically damaged and abandoned. 10 boarding ships (each with four breaching pods): 9 survived, 1 lightly damaged, 1 destroyed. 10 electronic warfare units with jammers, sensors and false-IFF transponders: 8 survived, 3 moderately damaged, 1 heavily damaged, 2 destroyed. 850 vaadwaur individuals. 450 pilots, crew and command staff, 394 survived, 23 lightly injured, 10 severely injured, 2 critically injured, 56 KIA. 400 boarding marines (10 per breaching pod)- 347 survived, 42 lightly injured, 19 severely injured, 34 critically injured, 51 KIA, 2 MIA. /\= Initial Analysis =/\Preliminary analysis suggests that the Starfleet and Marine corps units put up a valiant defence, but were swiftly overwhelmed. While the station was ultimately taken, casualties on the Federation side of the conflict were mostly limited to high-risk and vulnerable units; marines, security personnel and civilians. A notable exception is engineering- most of these crewman were deep within the station when the battle commenced, and were subsequently assigned to emergency repairs when the evacuation order was sounded. Being so far away from the docking ring, the engineering department's casualties were high. Out of a total staff numbering 4788, 484 are confirmed KIA, with an additional 1250 MIA. Unfortunately, we can presume most of the missing crewmen are dead. Summing together the MIA and KIA totals results in an approximate 36% casualty rate; far higher than most federation conflicts short of encounters with the Borg, but given the element of surprise against the Federation, use of phasing torpedoes to bypass shields and an attack launched on a crew which had, for the most part, only been settled in for a day, this is understandable. Of particular note are reports from Federation units that actively engaged in combat. Aside from very isolated incidents which will no doubt be addressed in due time, the vast majority of units from all disciplines either dutifully retreated as ordered, held their positions and engaged the enemy to the best of their ability (until forced to retreat due to injury or direct evacuation orders), or were killed in action. Reports are coming in all over the ships in the fleet of units who held their posts until overrun; the large number of Starfleet personnel currently listed as "Missing in Action" testifies to the bravery and courage of whole units of marines, security personnel and non-combatants alike. The vaadwaur have taken the station, but their costs have been significant. Outnumbered by the Federation defenders but with a significant tactical advantage, the vaadwaur suffered a 12% casualty rate; the majority of their losses were destroyed assault ships, which will reduce the vaadwaur's ability to defend their new found prize. 12% of the attacking ships were destroyed, with others damaged and in need of repair. Conversely, if any kind of good news can be extracted from this at all, almost all Federation ships escaped with little or no damage. DS-17, itself, suffered significant damage; if a Federation counterattack is launched relatively soon, the station will be in little better state than we left it. This bodes well for a successful recapture. However, in the words of the ancient terran leader Sir Winston Churchill, "Wars are not won through evacuations." The Federation was soundly defeated in the battle and must now regroup, then decide where to go from here. Of note; a low-EM signature probe was deployed from the Tiger on Commander Thelev's orders. It has begun taking snapshots of the station and its surrounding ships, then transmitting the information in hard-to-trace microbursts to the fleet. Presumably the vaadwaur are aware of it, but it is programmed to move after every transmission and is almost impossible to see on sensors. It is unlikely to evade detection forever, but for the moment it is providing valuable intelligence to the remaining Starfleet units. The idea that we are watching them and they can do nothing will provide some measure of comfort, I am sure. Our thoughts are with those civilians and Federation personnel who are wounded, or who have lost loved ones in the recent strife.
New FrontiersA brief cultural outline: Vaadwaur From: Starbase 118 wiki History The Vaadwaur were at one time widely known as a race of conquerors, whose influence spread far and wide across the Delta Quadrant, and into some other areas of the galaxy. Many races came to know them as untrustworthy, and the name of their species was adopted by races such as the Talaxians to mean "foolish". This did not, however, reflect an intention to label the Vaadwaur as intellectually challenged, moreover it was used to denote someone who had been fooled by an individual with hidden intentions. Using a network of naturally occurring subspace tunnels which allowed faster-than-warp travel, the Vaadwaur were able to establish colonies over an extremely large area. During a fateful meeting between the Vaadwaur scientist Gedrin, and Captain Kathryn Janeway in 2376, the extent of the distance spanned by these tunnels became apparent due to evidence presented by Neelix, who realised that the two species had met, despite the thousands of light years of distance between their home worlds. In 1484 the Vaadwaur's expansive and hostile nature became their undoing. A coalition of species led by the Turei, who saw them as a growing threat to their safety, took decisive action and bombarded the Vaadwaur homeworld, destroying their civilization and plunging their planet into nuclear winter. Foreseeing the attack, a battalion of Vaadwaur soldiers entered cryogenic suspension along with the scientist Gedrin and his wife, Jisa. They had intended to awake after a period of 5 years, but due to a malfunction in the automated release system they lay dormant for around 900 years. Gedrin's pod was activated by Seven of Nine after the U.S.S. Voyager was forced to land on the Vaadwaur homeworld after a Turei attack. Government In the period of time since 2376 the Vaadwaur have had little time to construct a government. Some Vaadwaur remain on their home planet, although their status is unkown. After the U.S.S. Voyager left the planet in 2376, the Turei had been alerted to the reawakening of the Vaadwaur (compared to the legend of Dragon's Teeth by Commander Chakotay), and it is likely that they either garrisoned the world for a time, or destoryed its remaining inhabitants. However, the Vaadwaur who left in 2376 have continued to extend their influence throughout the Delta Quadrant, and are operating under a military structure in which the battalion leader has overall control of the Vaadwaur species. Description Vaadwaur have small ridges on their chin and two horizontal ridges just above their nose. A large fin like crest runs across the center of their foreheads and gets wider as it reaches the top of their skulls. Their hair grows from around the mid-region of their skull, just were their fin ridge ends. Neck ridges extend from their ears, along down along their neck and onto their shoulders where the ridges curl towards the center of their chest. This gives the neck ridges an cobra-like appearance overall. These ridges are much less pronounced on female Vaadwaur, running in a straighter line, with a kink close to the collar bone. Physiology Little information is available on Vaadwaur physiology, as contact with the Federation was brief. However, it is theorized that the species may have evolved from reptiles, in a similar way to the Cardassians and Gorn. Psychology From an early age, Vaadwaur children are conditioned to be brave and fearless, not just as warriors, but in every day life. Vaadwaur children are encouraged to fall asleep each night thinking of a different way in which they could die in order to abate the fear of death. Grace and a cool head under fire are also valued. In 2376, Gedrin asked Janeway how she would react in heavy rain: would she run from doorway to doorway in a vain attempt to stay dry, all the while getting wet, or would she walk through the rain with her head held high. One thing is for certain - the Vaadwaur are a ruthless species. They have displayed an unwavering urge for conquest and expansion, beginning with their old colonies, but then extending further into the galaxy. A typical Vaadwaur will always be considering ways to defeat his enemies, either through force, or through subterfuge. Many a species has been fooled into allowing the Vaadwaur into their home, only to find that they are betrayed moments later. Despite these general traits, some Vaadwaur have been known to exhibit more honourable behaviour, Gedrin being a notable example, although this was recorded in the face of deception to conceal the true nature of his people from Captain Kathryn Janeway. Culture Vaadwaur culture is based around the warrior's code, although their ethics seem to be less honourable in nature than, for example, the Klingons. In many ways Vaadwaur culture can be said to be somewhere between 23rd Century Klingon and present day Borg, in that they are deceptive warriors who are bent on conquest by any means necessary. Technology During the final exodus from their homeworld in 2376, the Vaadwaur were centuries behind the more advanced races in the galaxy in terms of technology. However, Kathryn Janeway theorized that due to their lust for conquest and their resourceful nature, the Vaadwaur would adapt to become a threat. This proved to be true when the U.S.S. Voyager became trapped in an anomaly known as the void only a few months later - a heavily modified Vaadwaur ship was picked up by the ship's sensors, implying that the crew had been able to capture a more advanced ship through superior tactics and cannibalize its technology. The primary weapons of Vaadwaur ships are phase cannons, which fire a distinctly purple-coloured energy pulse. Recent intelligence shows that the Vaadwaur have expanded their arsenal to include photon torpedoes, and more worryingly a weapon dubbed as phase torpedoes. These weapons phase in and out of normal space, rendering deflector shield technology useless as a coutermeasure against them. In addition, the Vaadwaur have adapted weapons that create a dampening field to drain power from a ship, no doubt from contact with the Hirogen. In 2387, such weapons were used against Deep Space 17 and the U.S.S. Challenger-A to devastating effect. Military As of 2376, the Vaadwaur military was comprised of only around 200 members. However, modern intelligence shows no record of whether the Vaadwaur have enslaved less advanced or conquered species to act as subordinate members of their military in a similar way to the Son'a and the Founders. Federation Intelligence Files Through contact with the Turei and the Vaadwaur a network of subspace tunnels known as underspace was discovered. Due to the hostile nature of the Vaadwaur it was not possible to explore this phenomenon, and as a result it is not known how far the network reaches. However, the only two pieces of intelligence/data that were recorded by the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager show that a starship at warp passing close to a weakened area of one of these tunnels may well be drawn into underspace. Once inside, it is possible to use a resonance pulse from a starship's deflector to force another vessel back into normal space. In 2376, Doctor Julian Bashir classed the Vaadwaur as a potential future threat to Federation security after reviewing data from the Pathfinder Project. SIMming TipsWhat Makes a SIM Awesome By: Lt. (jg) Tracey Townson - SB 118 Ops -- It tells you more about the character. You see the world through the character's eyes, get a deeper understanding of their mannerisms and their philosophy. -- Advances the story. Even if it's only a bit, the post moves forward the main plot, a subplot, or a character arc. -- Creates openings for others to write. A good post goes out of its way to offer a place for others to expand on it, to engage other players. -- Length doesn't matter if the point is clear. -- The character has a chance to develop at a realistic in character rate: a romance takes more than one in character day to blossom or solutions to problems are found over time and with the help of others. ==NEWS ITEMS== By: Ensign Mailea Labria - USS Challenger-A /\=Comedian James Corden and Sir Patrick Stewart became involved in a bizarre on-stage spat at the Glamour Awards on Tuesday.=/\http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10272333.stm /\=Is Dilithium Fact or pure Fiction?=/\http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327246.700-13-more-things-the-lithium-problem.html ..related: http://www.world-science.net/othernews/061116_sigma-sub-b.htm http://www.physorg.com/news11748.html http://www.nanotechwire.com/news.asp?nid=2733 http://www.phschool.com/science/science_news/articles/extreme_impersonations.html http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21306 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_12_166/ai_n6366551/ /\=Star Trek Breakout=/\http://www.liamwebb.aurorastudio.com.au/flashgame.html /\=Common mistakes writers make=/\/\= Next ST Film =/\Simon Pegg, 40-year-old actor, who plays engineer Scotty, says the sequel to 'Star Trek' could shoot as soon as the end of the year. Earlier this year, Zachary Quinto, who plays Vulcan Spock in the movie, wanted to take two years off from the franchise. He said: "I'm stepping away from 'Star Trek' for at least two years - no movies, no conventions, no anything for a while. 'Star Trek' won the Best Make-up Oscar at this year's Academy Awards. The as-yet-untitled sequel is due for release in 2012 /\= Roddenberry Search =/\Roddenberry Search launched 4-19-10. You search the net and win 'tokens' redeemable for autographs, pins, postcards, action figures and other great items from the Roddenberry vault. HOW IT WORKS: http://roddenberrysearch.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-works RULES: http://roddenberrysearch.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-rules Read the rules, especially #4 – that one rules me out! Pffff.... /\= After 44 years, Spock finally leaves the Enterprise =/\It has been more than four decades since Star Trek’s pointy-eared Vulcan Mr Spock first explored the distant corners of the cosmos. But at 79, actor Leonard Nimoy has decided his space travelling days are over and is beaming himself up from the flight deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise and into retirement. Nimoy, one of the most recognizable and best loved characters from the sci-fi series that began in 1966, announced that he wanted to ‘get off the stage’ and give young actor Zachary Quinto a clear run at the role he took over for last year’s Star Trek movie. http://screencrave.com/2010-04-21/leonard-nimoy-retires-from-acting/ /\= 100 days of STO =/\So what to say – it started with a Boooom. With over a million copies sold game was among the MMO Bestsellers, and expected to live forever. After 3 months it fell to measly 100.000 subscribers, but despite such a fall in membership it keeps to bring new content regularly. After Season 1.1 update and some pretty neat things offered to 100 days subscribers, season 1.2 Update is expected end of month, among which the most anticipated Caitian as playable race: http://www.startrekonline.com/calendar /\= Star Trek Cruise =/\Enjoy a luxury cruise to an exotic location, with Star Trek themed events and celebrities from your favorite Star Trek series and movies: http://www.startrekcruise.com/ WEIRD SCIENCE /\= Solar beat =/\This is what the solar system would sound like if planets were musical notes. It is based on real orbital frequencies: http://www.whitevinyldesign.com/solarbeat/ /\=How Capt. Kirk Changed the World =/\May 4, 2010: "Standard orbit, Mr. Sulu." Captain Kirk barks out the order with such confidence. He knows the USS Enterprise can slip in and out of planetary orbits with ease. But it's only easy in the realm of science fiction. In the real world, such maneuvers have been impossible --until now: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/04may_dawn/ /\= Starship pilots: speed kills, especially warp speed =/\Spock and the rest of the crew would die within a second of the USS Enterprise approaching the speed of light. The problem lies with why-einstein-was-wrong-about-relativity. Einstein's special theory of relativity. It transforms the thin wisp of hydrogen gas that permeates interstellar space into an intense radiation beam that would kill humans within seconds and destroy the spacecraft's electronic instruments. Interstellar space is an empty place. For every cubic centimeter, there are fewer than two hydrogen atoms, on average, compared with 30 billion billion atoms of air here on Earth. But according to William Edelsteinof the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, that sparse interstellar gas should worry the crew of a spaceship travelling close to the speed of light even more than Romulans decloaking off the starboard bow. Special relativity describes how space and time are distorted for observers travelling at different speeds. For the crew of a spacecraft ramping up to light speed, interstellar space would appear highly compressed, thereby increasing the number of hydrogen atoms hitting the craft. (unfortunately I lost a link and cannot find it any more, sorry!!!!!) USEFUL LINKS Star Trek interactive star map: http://starmap.whitten.org/ Interested in reading Star Trek Scripts: http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/#S End NotesInterested in Helping?
Please tell us what you like or don't like about the The Reporter. We would also appreciate suggestions regarding what you would like to see in this newsletter -- you can submit ideas on the message board, in the "Group Elements" "Bringing back the Reporter" forum. http://www.starbase118.net/forums/index.php?/topic/5086-bringing-back-the-reporter/ Contacts UFOP Executive Council: UFoP-EC@yahoogroups.com Fleet Placement Officer : r.drawoh@starbase118.net Command Exams: r.drawoh@starbase118.net Starfleet Academy: StarTrekFan96@aol.com Credits Tracey Townson (USS Independence) -Editor-in-Chief Mailea Labria (USS Challenger) -News Items Thomas N. Gregory (USS Ronin) -Interview section Andrus Jaxx (USS Victory) -Ship Report Compiler Rocar Drawoh (USS Victory) -Proof-reader & Formatting Contributors: Della Vetri (USS Constitution-B) Karynn Ehlanii (Starbase 118) Alleran Tan (Starbase 118) Thomas N. Gregory (USS Ronin) Rhode Mitchell (USS Discovery) Samuel Perkins (USS Constitution) Tal Tel-Ar (USS Challenger) Quinn Reynolds (USS Eagle) Sidney Riley (USS Independence)
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